St. Johns County state, local elected officials talk about budget, growth and housing

A history amount of neighborhood tasks produced it into the state budget this yr, and there is an maximize in funding for affordable housing as section of the a lot more than $112 billion state price range, state lawmakers claimed on Friday early morning in St. Johns County.

St. Johns County’s legislative delegation ― Sen. Travis Hutson, Rep. Paul Renner and Rep. Cyndi Stevenson ― spoke about recent legislative attempts as element of the St. Johns County Chamber of Commerce’s St. Johns Legislative Update at the Renaissance Globe Golf Village Resort.

The event’s panel of speakers also included St. Johns County Commissioner Christian Whitehurst, St. Augustine Vice Mayor Nancy Sikes-Kline and St. Augustine Seashore Mayor Don Samora.

Growth and progress: Inexpensive housing struggles emphasis of St. Johns County accumulating

Affordable housing: New workforce housing enhancement permitted in St. Johns County

The group spoke generally about significant projects struggling with their spots relating to financial concerns this sort of as progress, progress and inexpensive housing.

Dozens of men and women attended, which include organization leaders, legislation enforcement officials and elected officials from throughout the community and over and above.

Among other factors, Hutson touted the money literacy bill he supported that will involve high college college students to go a financial literacy training course to graduate, such as factors like balancing a checkbook and constructing a very good credit score rating.

“In my view it is extremely, extremely important that they find out these expertise right before they go to college or right before they go into the workforce,” he said.

Renner centered on home insurance policy issues, which will be the aim of a distinctive session this month.

Community officials all talked about the consequences they’re seeing from growth in St. Johns County, these kinds of as the county’s lack of reasonably priced housing.

Whitehurst mentioned when he joined the fee in 2020, inexpensive housing was an challenge.

“And now it can be a entire-blown disaster,” he stated.

Tale carries on

The county has approved quite a few jobs that will use its Workforce Housing zoning district, which allows developers overall flexibility on prerequisites such as density in exchange for making a portion of the housing at a most cost of $240,000.

Sikes-Kline mentioned she estimates that the St. Augustine urbanized spot, which stretches outside of the town limits and is about 43 sq. miles, has about 100,000 people today in it.

To help take care of the site visitors congestion and its impacts, the town has adopted a mobility strategy and mobility costs. They are also operating with the Florida Division of Transportation to, potentially, choose in excess of management of King Avenue to have far more adaptability in its structure.

“That will permit us to lessen congestion,” she stated.

She stated the metropolis is also doing work with the department to get funding for a transit circulator that would just take people about the city, which could permit much more men and women to park on the outskirts alternatively of driving all-around downtown wanting for a parking location.

“We come to feel like this will be a game changer for the town of St. Augustine,” Sikes-Kline said.

Samora explained the metropolis of St. Augustine Beach front is seeking to open up up a lot more streets with accessibility to developable household lots.

“There is a massive demand, and with the absence of land that we have out there, the prices have long gone by way of the roof,” he explained.

Stevenson worked on the appropriations committee for the forthcoming budget. Friday she spoke about the state price range, which has not but been signed by the governor. She mentioned the budget incorporates, amongst other items:

• Nearby assignments, including funding for a new campus for the Alpha Omega Miracle Household nonprofit, which serves senior women of all ages and gals with kids $5 million for Flagler University to create a classical schooling method and funding for “income for seaside renourishment assignments, substance abuse (remedy) for women of all ages, psychological health expert services, St. Augustine Beach resiliency, West Augustine septic-to-sewer (conversions),” a research for the Summer season Haven River and road and sidewalk improvements.

• An maximize to $362.7 million for affordable housing.

• Reserves of $8.9 billion and a $1 billion inflation fund to support offset spending plan merchandise impacted by inflation.

• An increase for Medicaid costs.

• Amplified funding for the little one welfare program.

• $2.3 billion for the defense of Florida’s water resources, which includes the Resilient Florida software to handle sea degree rise and flooding.

• $30 million for manatee rescue and habitat restoration.

• An increase in funding for educational institutions, such as increased for every-scholar funding and raises for academics and instruction staff members.

• The funds also has amplified funding for condition staff for shell out, like employees in state-contracted nursing residences and Medicaid contractors, and a price-of-living maximize for most point out workers.

• Above $468 million for Florida Permanently for acquisitions of conservation land and above $296 million for state park enhancements. “This is the best amount of funding for state park enhancements in background,” she reported.

• An further $670 million for environmental assignments and land acquisition contingent on American Rescue Prepare Act funding.

This post initially appeared on St. Augustine Record: St. Johns County development, cost-effective housing in emphasis as lawmakers meet up with